Preakness S. | Horse Racing Free Tips

Epicenter, Early Voting Take First Tour of Old Hilltop

Winchell Racing's Epicenter (Not This Time), whose runner-up effort in the GI Kentucky Derby May 7 has earned him a quote of 6-5 morning-line favoritism for Saturday's GI Preakness S., was out for a one-mile gallop around the Pimlico main track Wednesday morning under the watchful eye of Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen .

“He's traveling really well. It seems like his energy level is good,” said Blasi, explaining that Asmussen left the track early to watch horses work at Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale at Timonium. “He's bounced out of the Derby with relative ease and made the ship fine. Just trying to get settled in and get our schooling done and run Saturday.”

Blasi indicated that plans call for Epicenter to school in the gate during training hours Thursday morning before paddock schooling during the races in the afternoon.

Early Voting (Gun Runner), who will be looking to give Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables a second Preakness success, also got his first feel for the surface at Pimlico Wednesday morning (video).

“He galloped a mile and a quarter. I was really happy with him coming home,” said Chad Brown assistant Baldo Hernandez. “He likes it here, so he's in good shape.”

Following his runner-up effort behind Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Wood Memorial S. Apr. 9, Early Voting was strongly considered for the Derby, but passed the race and has trained up to the Triple Crown's second jewel.

“He's moved forward from the Wood. He got the time off,” Hernandez said. “He's in good shape.”

Hernandez said that Early Voting will go to the track at the same time Thursday.

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Smith, MacAdam To Be Honored At Alibi

Photographer Patrick Smith and writer Mike MacAdam will be among the honorees at the Alibi Breakfast May 19 at Pimlico Race Course. The Alibi Breakfast features a gathering of media, owners, trainers, jockeys, horsemen and fans to celebrate the Preakness. Smith will receive the Jerry Frutkoff Award for the best Preakness picture of 2021, while MacAdam will receive the David F. Woods Award for best Preakness story. Smith is a staff photographer based in Baltimore for Getty Images. This is his second consecutive win, and third overall in the Frutkoff.

“During the 2021 Preakness, I was camped on the head-on position,” said Smith. “As I watched Flavien Prat guide Rombauer through the field and gain momentum, I know he'd rejoice with an iconic moment if he crossed the finish first – and he did.”

MacAdam, a turf writer and sports columnist for the Daily Gazette in Schenectady, N.Y., has provided daily live coverage of the Saratoga meet. MacAdam's story was entitled: “Preakness Winner Rombauer Runs Out of the Baffert Shadow.” He recently was named Sportswriter of the Year by the New York Press Association for the second time in the last three years.

“It's a gross understatement to say what an honor it is to be recognized by the Maryland Jockey Club with the David F. Woods Award,” MacAdam said.

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Derby Winner Rich Strike To Bypass Preakness

Rich Strike (Keen Ice), who sensationally upended last Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby as the 80-1 longest shot in the field of 20, will bypass the GI Preakness S. at Pimlico May 21, owner Rick Dawson said Thursday afternoon.

“Our original plan for Rich Strike was contingent on the Kentucky Derby–should we not run in the Derby, we would point toward the Preakness, should we run in the Derby, subject to the race outcome and the condition of our horse, we would give him more recovery time and rest and run in the Belmont or another race and stay on course to run with five or six weeks' rest between races,” Dawson said in a statement released by 1/ST.

“Obviously, with our tremendous effort and win in the Derby, it's very, very tempting to alter our course and run in the Preakness at Pimlico, which would be a great honor for all our group, however, after much discussion and consideration with my trainer Eric Reed and a few others, we are going to stay with our plan of 'what's best for Ritchie is what's best for our group,' and pass on running in the Preakness, and point toward the Belmont in approximately five weeks.

“We thank the wonderful Preakness and Pimlico folks that have reached out to us and very much appreciate the invite.”

The Derby winner's defection comes just one day after trainer D. Wayne Lukas confirmed that GI Longines Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath (Arrogate) would back up in the second leg of the Triple Crown. Epicenter (Not This Time), who finished 3/4 of a length behind Rich Strike in the Derby, is also moving on to Old Hilltop, while a decision on third-placed Zandon (Upstart) is pending. The latter's stablemate Early Voting (Gun Runner) is already a confirmed starter in the Preakness and Derby fourth Simplification (Not This Time) is already on the Pimlico backstretch.

Claimed for $30,000 out of a second-out maiden victory at Churchill last September, Rich Strike was beaten 14 lengths into fifth by Epicenter in the Dec. 26 Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds and entered the Derby off a third behind Tiz the Bomb (Hit It a Bomb) in the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park Apr. 2.

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Seven Supplemented To Triple Crown Series

Seven 3-year-olds, headed by recent G2 UAE Derby runner-up Summer Is Tomorrow (Summer Front), have been supplemented to the 2022 Triple Crown series for a fee of $6,000 prior to the late closing date this past Monday, Mar. 28.

Owned by Michael and Negar Burke, Summer Is Tomorrow is a two-time winner from seven starts in Dubai, having won a Feb. 25 allowance by 8 1/4 lengths going seven furlongs prior to his effort in the UAE Derby, in which he set the pace and was run down late by Japan's GI Kentucky Derby hopeful Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}). The bay, trained by Bhupat Seemar, earned $200,000 and 40 Kentucky Derby points for the effort.

Azure Coast (Street Sense), who came from the clouds to win the G3 UAE 2000 Guineas at Meydan Feb. 11, has also been supplemented by owner Vladimir Kazakov and trainer Pavel Vashchenko. A distant ninth behind Summer Is Tomorrow in the UAE Derby, Azure Coast has yet to amass any Derby points.

The other late Triple Crown nominees include Bye Bye Bobby (Quality Road), second in Sunday's GIII Sunland Derby; O Captain (Carpe Diem), third in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S.; Shake Em Loose (Shakin It Up), winner of Laurel's Private Terms S.; recent Gulfstream allowance winner Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator); and Win the Day (Midshipman), who graduated at third asking in his dirt debut going a mile at Santa Anita Mar. 6.

The seven supplements take the number of 2022 Triple Crown nominees to 321. Any horse that has yet to be nominated at the first two stages can become Triple Crown eligible through supplemental payments made at the time of entry for the GI Kentucky Derby ($200,000), GI Preakness S. ($150,000) and GI Belmont S. ($50,000).

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